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Dr Dillner's health dilemmas: should you diet if you're pregnant?

Years ago, women were told they were eating for two – so what is the best course of action?It is one of the upsides of pregnancy, enjoying your food without worrying about your weight. Of course there are limitations (no pate, soft cheese or shellfish) but you can still snack with impunity. Or can you? A study in the BMJ that analysed research from 44 other studies involving 7,278 pregnant women, shows that those who watched their weight were 3.84kg lighter and had fewer complications (such as premature birth and pre-eclampsia) than those who didn't.So should you stop eating for two and start counting the calories again?The solutionThe advice to eat for two when you're pregnant has been out of date for years. But this new study does not suggest you should go on a calorie-restricted diet or any diet that would ordinarily make you lose weight if you stuck to it.Instead it advises that you might want to control the weight you put on in pregnancy so it doesn't get out of hand. However, if you weigh more than 100kg your doctor or midwife might get you to watch your calorie intake more closely.The research suggested that women who exercised put on less weight over their pregnancy than those who didn't, but only by 0.7kg. Women who were on these diets did not have babies that were significantly lighter than mothers who did not diet.Previous studies have shown that women who are already overweight or who become obese in pregnancy, risk complications not just at birth (including a higher rate of caesarean section, blood loss and infections afterwards) but as their children become adults. A study looking at the link between mothers' weight gain and the weight of their children found that decades later their children were more likely to be obese if their mothers had been so during pregnancy.The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence does not say that pregnant women should be weighed regularly. They used to be but this was stopped because such measures did not identify women at risk of pre-eclampsia, as was intended. But this research is unlikely to change guidance just yet. The findings aren't clear on whether it is riskier to be obese before you get pregnant (so there isn't much to be done to reduce your risk once pregnant) or if you put on too much weight during pregnancy.The amount of weight that women normally put on varies – and includes not only the baby but the fluid around it, the placenta and the increase in fluid circulating around the body, as well as fat – but should be between 8-14 kg. Much of this weight gain will generally occur in the third trimester.So, while pregnant women should not go on calorie-controlled diets, this research does suggest that eating a healthy, well-balanced diet and not becoming obese when you are expecting are good things to aspire to.Health & wellbeingPregnancyDiets and dietingNutritionLuisa Dillnerguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Anti-GM protesters kept from tearing up wheat crop by police

Police use trespass order and mounted officers to halt hundreds of activists at entrance to land owned by Rothamsted ResearchPolice kept hundreds of protesters at bay as they attempted to destroy a field where genetically modified wheat is being tested in Hertfordshire.Mounted officers helped bring activists to a halt in front of the entrance to land owned by the Rothamsted research institute, which is testing GM wheat which has been enhanced to fight aphid infestation.The event on Sunday, which attracted hundreds of protesters including farmers, politicians and activists from the UK and abroad, had prompted the local council to obtain an order making it a criminal offence to trespass on the land.Hertfordshire police handed out leaflets at Harpenden station warning that St Albans council had forbidden "trespassory assembly" under section 14A of the Public Order Act as anti-GM campaigners gathered in a park next to the estate.Lucy Harrap, 36, who helped organise the Take the Flour Back event, said there was a "groundswell of support" for the action among the UK public.Harrap said widespread use of GM would remove choice from consumers."If this wheat goes to commercialisation, there would then be cross-contamination and we would no longer have a choice about GM or non-GM. When that happens it is not going to be Rothamsted who are going to pick the tab up – it is going to be farmers in this country."The large police presence and the public order enforcement notice seemed to have deterred campaigners from ripping up crops, one of the stated aims on the event's website.During a series of speeches legal observers told the group that they were very likely to be arrested and face charges for any attempt to gain access to the site.A representative from Citizens Concerned Against GM urged the crowd not to rip up crops and instead "process around the site" as activists had already "won the moral high ground" in the public sphere.Activists decided to link arms, march towards police lines and remain seated in front of officers, some on horses.Protesters said the legal and police response indicated a crackdown on such protests. Harrap said activists were facing a different situation from that seen 10 years ago. "The corporations behind biotechnology were totally unprepared for what happened 10 years ago. They were unprepared for that wholesale rejection by the UK public. They are not unprepared now and what we are seeing is the result of that. We are going to see the state absolutely protecting sites like Rothamsted doing that research and this is the thin edge of the wedge."Before the event the scientists had attempted to persuade the protesters to abandon their action, arguing in a video uploaded to YouTube that they were publicly funded researchers.Sir Paul Nurse, the president of the Royal Society, said on Friday: "Scientific discoveries can be unsettling and their application for societal benefit complicated to implement. That is why we must have informed public debate on these issues, free from hype and fear. We need to do scientific experiments to find out if genetically modified crops are safe and if they deliver genuine public benefit. If they fail on either score, they should be put to one side. That is why the trial at Rothamsted should be allowed to go ahead."Professor Douglas Kell, the chief executive of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the government body funding the trial, said: "Now that the protest at Rothamsted has ended peacefully I hope that the BBSRC-funded scientists can be allowed to complete their project without the ongoing threat that their work will be destroyed."As scientists, we do not claim to have all the answers. However, our scientific community must be able to conduct regulated and approved trials and experiments without the threat of vandalism hanging over them."Among the protesters were several groups from abroad. Franciska Soler, a member of the French group the Faucheurs Volontaires d'OGM – Volunteer Reapers of Genetically Modified Organisms – which had 18 members at the protest, said: "We think that European resistance against GMOs is very important … we are probably the only continent that refuses GMOs and are still resisting."Soler, who said the organisation had nearly 7,000 members in France of all ages, pledged to resisting genetically modified food. "I think research has to be reorientated, not just around a debate around science but something that is a partnership with civil society and to follow what society wants."The prominent Green party member Jenny Jones, who was at the event, said she was relieved the day had not ended in violence. "We're gathered here because we are all so frustrated about this trial. It's been a great day out with some lovely people. We've listened to some good music with some good speeches."GMFarmingPoliceProtestShiv Malikguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Soft-shell lobsters so soon? It's a mystery in Maine.

April and May are fairly quiet times for Maine lobstermen and women, with the height of the summer season still a couple of months away. This year, strange things are happening on the ocean floor. Many of the lobsters have prematurely shed their hard shells, and lobstermen are hauling large numbers of soft-shelled lobsters much earlier than usual. "That is definitely not normal," says Steve Train, who's been hauling traps for 35 years in Casco Bay, near Portland. He usually sees hard-shell lobsters at this time of year, instead of these "shedders" — lobsters that have abandoned their old casing to grow into a new, hard one.

Neb. Department of Education Nutrition Services announces sites for summer ... - The Republic

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The Nebraska Department of Education Nutrition Services has announced sites where children may receive free meals this summer. The program provides meals and snacks to children at schools, churches, playgrounds and parks during school breaks. It was created to ensure children in low-income areas can get meals when they don't have access to the school lunch or breakfast. The program is sponsored and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Summer Food Service Program. A list of the sites where meals will be offered this summer may be found at http://bit.ly/LfX2xh. Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Soft-shell lobsters so soon? It's a mystery in Maine.

This year, strange things are happening on the ocean floor. Many of the lobsters have prematurely shed their hard shells, and lobstermen are hauling large numbers of soft-shelled lobsters much earlier than usual.

10 New Food Books for Beach Reading

Why Calories Count, by Marion Nestle and Malden Nesheim Arguably the most important nutrition book to be released this year, Why Calories Count is Nestle and Nesheim's take on the relationship between calories and weight. The authors do a wonderful job making nutrition science accessible, and the book may give you a few new ideas for how to approach weight loss and a healthy diet. Culinary Intelligence, by Peter Kaminsky This half-memoir, half-diet guide is friendly and easy to read. Rather than lecture or scold, Kaminsky provides simple tips gleaned from his journey of losing forty pounds. He is a food enthusiast, with no patience for bland diet food, making Culinary Intelligence a refreshing take on the weight-loss story. Taste Buds and Molecules, by Francois Chartier While Taste Buds and Molecules is a bit heavy to lug to the beach, it has tons of new recipe inspiration for planning your summer picnics. Its innovative design makes this book easy to read and Chartier's take on pairing foods and wines is truly something new. Charlotte au Chocolat, by Charlotte Silver Charlotte Silver grew up in her mother's restaurant, a high-end dining club near Harvard University. She recounts the ups and downs of childhood in the restaurant business in Charlotte au Chocolat, including plenty of mouthwatering dish descriptions. An Extravagant Hunger, by Anne Zimmerman M.F.K. Fisher remains one of the most influential and inspired food writers of all time, and this biography by Anne Zimmerman provides unique insight into her life and struggles. An Extravagant Hunger has it all: romance, despair, and of course, amazing food. An Everlasting Meal, by Tamar Adler Adler's take on cooking is relaxed and fluid—her recipes blend into anecdotes and experiences from her years as a cook. She takes much inspiration from the beautiful prose of M.F.K. Fisher, which is reflected in her personal and engaging writing style. An Everlasting Meal is lovely book for curling up under the sun and dreaming of new dishes. On the Future of Food, by the Prince of Wales This slight book is packed with a compelling case for revolutionizing our food system. If you're looking to brush up on your food facts but want an accessible pool-side read, On the Future of Food is a great beginner's guide to good food. White Bread, by Aaron Bobrow-Strain Bread is a staple of many countries' diets, and is a necessity in many American households. Aaron Bobrow-Strain takes us through the complicated and fascinating history of bread, both homemade and packaged, and how American culture has been reflected in the country's bread preferences over time. French Kids Eat Everything, by Karen Le Billon We often turn to the French as the gold standard of cuisine and food culture, and Karen Le Billon argues that French parents are also most adept at raising adventurous, un-picky eaters. Her memoir French Kids Eat Everything of transforming two fussy American tots into well-behaved and proper French children provides an interesting conversation starter.

Subway tops breakfast-sandwich taste tests - Youngstown Vindicator

Egg sandwiches that are tasty and nutritious are hard to come by in most fast-food chains. Consumer Reports recently tried egg sandwiches from Burger King, Dunkin’ Donuts, McDonald’s, Starbucks and Subway — and deemed Subway’s Egg White and Cheese on Mornin’ Melt Flatbread most tasty. CR also evaluated the nutrition of egg sandwiches from those chains and Wendy’s to see if any could combine good taste and nutrition. The tastiest sandwich from Subway also had decent nutrition, and though breakfast sandwiches from Burger King and McDonald’s rated good for taste, none of them scored better than fair for nutrition. The components of Subway’s 3-inch Egg White and Cheese on Mornin’ Melt Flatbread blended well — its flatbread was tender and its egg whites were flavorful. The other egg sandwiches CR tasted had one or more drawbacks. The cheese in both Starbucks sandwiches — the Chicken Sausage Wrap and the Turkey Bacon and White Cheddar Classic — was saucelike. The egg in McDonald’s Egg McMuffin was slightly rubbery. In CR’s tests, tasters visited at least three locations per chain in the New York area, and sandwich quality often varied from one location to another within a chain. For example, the eggs in Burger King’s BK Egg and Cheese Muffin were fluffy in two restaurants and wet in a third. And, in one instance, the muffin was untoasted. Only six of the 106 sandwiches earned CR’s “Very Good” Rating for nutrition — and all of them came from Subway. The tastiest Egg White and Cheese on Mornin’ Melt Flatbread only earned a “Good” in nutrition, as did offerings from Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts. Ask for the breakfast sandwich well-toasted — toasting blends the flavors and makes the bread taste better. For good nutrition, skip cheese or meat, substitute egg whites for whole eggs and avoid a foot-long. Eat the breakfast sandwich right away as quality may fall as the sandwich cools off. CR gave Peter Piper a rest and asked five trained tasters to spend three days sampling 10 brands of dill pickles, whole or in spears (the whole ones were cut into spears to level the playing field). The winner: Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value, which rated Excellent with its pleasing balance of garlic, salt, sourness and spices. Whole Foods and runner-up Trader Joe’s Kosher Dill, rated Very Good, are whole pickles and have desirably crispy skins with crunchy insides. Also rated Very Good were Great Value Kosher Dill Spears (Walmart), which were zesty with a mustardy flavor and crisp outside and soft inside; Vlasic Kosher Dill Spears, with a balanced flavor of garlic, salt, sourness and spices; and Market Pantry Kosher Dill Spears (Target), also zesty and crisp outside and soft inside. The rest of the tested pickles were spears, and most were very good. The Ba-Tampte Kosher Dill Deli Spears were lowest-rated, yet cost more than most. They were found to have a caraway flavor and slight heat but were a little bitter with a soft, watery inside and big seeds. A pickle spear has only about 4 calories but about 300 milligrams of sodium, roughly 13 percent of the recommended daily limit for most people. And here’s a quick pickle primer: Dill sometimes means that pickles have had dill weed added to their brine, and other times it just refers to large size. Kosher doesn’t necessarily mean that pickles were prepared under a rabbi’s supervision, just that garlic was added to the brine. Bottom line: Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value dills are tastiest; runners-up Trader Joe’s and Walmart’s Great Value cost less.

World Health Organization Sets New Targets for Reducing Chronic Diseases - Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a number of targets for reducing so-called non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by 25 percent by 2025. NCDs are chronic illnesses largely caused by dietary and lifestyle factors. They include obesity, heart disease, diabetes, some types of cancers and chronic respiratory illnesses that combined have become the leading causes of death globally, according to the agency. Chronic diseases account for 36 million deaths annually, over 60 percent of all human mortality. They continue to accelerate globally and are advancing across all regions, affecting all socioeconomic classes. It is expected that almost three-quarters of all deaths will be caused by chronic diseases by 2020. Chronic diseases are defined as illnesses of long duration and generally slow progression. They are also considered as largely preventable by positive dietary and lifestyle changes. One of the leading causes is obesity, which has doubled worldwide since 1980. Weight problems are the fifth leading risk factor for all deaths. At least 2.8 million adults die each year as a result from being overweight. In addition, 44 percent of diabetes rates, 23 percent of heart disease rates and up to 41 percent of cancer rates are attributable to weight problems. Obesity is now linked to more deaths worldwide than underweight. Especially worrisome is the continuing rise of childhood obesity. In 2010, more than 40 million children under the age of five (!) were overweight. Almost 35 million of these live in developing countries. Most impoverished children who have weight problems are also severely malnourished. Leading causes of unhealthy weight gain are poor diets based on energy-dense foods that are high in fat, salt and sugars but low in nutrients. A worldwide decrease in physical activity due to sedentary lifestyles, increasing urbanization and changing modes of work and transportation also plays a role. To change the current trends, improvements must take place on several levels, according to WHO recommendations, including individual responsibility, education, social environments as well as quality and affordability of food supply. “Individual responsibility can only have its full effect where people have access to a healthy lifestyle. Supportive environments and communities are fundamental in shaping people’s choices. The food industry can play a significant role in promoting healthy diets by reducing fat, sugar and salt content of processed foods, ensuring that healthy and nutritious choices are available and affordable to all customers and by practicing responsible marketing.” The “WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health,” which was first introduced by the World Health Assembly in 2004, calls for actions needed to support healthy eating habits and regular physical activity. The agency “calls upon all stakeholders to take action at global, regional and local levels to improve diets and physical activity patterns at the population level.” For this, an action plan was developed for the prevention and control of NCDs as a roadmap to establish and strengthen more initiatives on local, national and international platforms. Although the targets set by the WHO are not binding and lack in many ways specificity, similar initiatives have shown some degree of effectiveness in the past. For instance in 1987, the World Health Assembly created the first “World No Tobacco Day” to draw global attention to the health effects of smoking. It is commemorated every year on May 31 as an occasion to help reduce worldwide tobacco use. In 2005, the agency released the “Framework Convention on Tobacco Control” (FCTC) with similar goals. Tobacco use is still the second most common cause of death in the world, after hypertension, being responsible for killing one in 10 adults every year. Obviously, we have a long way to go, but progress has been made. Hopefully, WHO’s continuing efforts will increase awareness of the seriousness of chronic diseases as well. Timi Gustafson R.D. is a clinical dietitian and author of the book “The Healthy Diner – How to Eat Right and Still Have Fun”®, which is available on her blog, “Food and Health with Timi Gustafson R.D.” (http://www.timigustafson.com), and at amazon.com. You can follow Timi on Twitter and on Facebook.

Washington hopes to buy historic ranch for conservation

McWhorter Ranch is going up for sale June 1, and state and local officials are working with conservation groups to try to preserve it.

Absolute Nutrition Announces NoPHEDRA, Its New Ephedrine Free Diet Supplement. - SBWire (press release)

Austin, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/26/2012 -- Since the ban of ephedrine as an ingredient in diet pills, only a few supplement companies have invested in further research to find compounds that have a similar effect on fat loss without the devastating side-effects. The direct result of this research is NoPhedra from Absolute Nutrition. Ephedrine is a chemical substance belonging to the group of drugs recognized as beta-antagonists and can be used to treat a number of ailments, including but not limited to nasal congestion, low blood pressure, fatigue, weight gain and attention deficit disorder (ADD). First unearthed by the Japanese chemist Nagayoshi Nagai in 1885, Ephedrine is taken from plants and herbs belonging to the Ephedracaee Ephedra family and is equivalent in form to its derivative drugs, amphetamine and methamphetamine. It is most oftentimes found in either Ephedrine Hydrochloride (HCl) or Ephedrine Sulfate form. Ephedrine has been linked to Anxiety, light-headedness, dizziness, light headache, gastrointestinal distress, wakefulness and insomnia, irregular heartbeat, heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, stroke seizures, psychosis etc. These are some of the major reasons it was banned. The recently developed NoPHEDRA, by Absolute Nutrition, is one of the few of supplements that has no ephedrine in it and yet provides results as far as burning fat goes. A few years earlier it was unthinkable to have a supplement that in reality helped one reduce weight and yet did not have ephedra in it. With NoPHEDRA, any who wants to tone up or loose weight now has a safe option devoid of any risks. It controls one\'s food intake and helps boost metabolism. "I just wanted to tell you how much I love your NoPHEDRA. I went from 190 to 170 in 3 weeks. I've never had any thing take off the fat like it. I feel 10 years younger. I'm 48 and feel 38, at this rate I wont mind being 50." Says one happy user, Mary Hines NoPHEDRA™ contains Green Tea, Caffeine, Synephrine Citrus Aurantium L-Tyrosine, Forskolin, Flavanex-ER or 5-hydroxytryptophan to help burn fat fast. About Absolute Nutrition Absolute Nutrition is a supplier of herbal diet supplements designed to boost metabolism, promote healthy weight loss and overall fitness. Absolute Nutrition is the original supplier of NoPHEDRA™ - an ephedra free fat burner diet supplement.

Subtropical Storm Beryl swirls toward southeast coast

MIAMI, May 26 (Reuters) - Subtropical Storm Beryl churned toward the U.S. southeast coast on Saturday, threatening heavy rains and dangerous surf on Sunday to northeastern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. Beryl was centered about 230 miles (375 km) east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, carrying maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph). It was moving southwest with tropical storm force winds extending about 115 miles (185 km) from the storm's center. Tropical storm warnings were in effect for Sunday from the Volusia/Brevard County line in northern Florida to Edisto Beach, South Carolina. Forecasters predict the storm will eventually turn back toward the Atlantic on Monday or Tuesday, posing no threat to oil and gas production facilities in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The hurricane center said dangerous surf conditions and unusually high tides are possible along the coasts of northern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina over the Memorial Day weekend. Beryl is being called a subtropical storm, which usually have a broader wind field than tropical storms and shower and thunderstorm activity farther removed from the storm's center. Beryl formed off the South Carolina coast late on Friday and is the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which has had an early start. The season officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.

Keep Celery Fresh by Wrapping in Aluminum Foil [Food Hacks]

It's tempting to buy the big bag of celery at Costco but you'll seldom use it all by the time it starts to fade. If you wrap the celery in a plastic bag and then wrap that bag in aluminum foil you can get a much longer refrigerated shelf life. More »

You Should Spend Your Entire Long Weekend With This Ice Cream Sandwich Maker [Food]

Slapping a dollop of ice cream between two cookies is the best thing to happen to that frozen treat since chocolate syrup. But there's nothing quite as satisfying as the soggy chocolate wafers of an... Trendy Gadgets feed assembled by lesslimits.de

Will Allen's `Good Food Revolution'

His new autobiography chronicles Allen's unexpected journey from professional basketball player to urban farming pioneer.

After Outbreak, Cantaloupe Farm Can't Cut It

Fox 31 KDVR.comFarm traced to listeria outbreak files bankruptcyCBS NewsDENVER — A Colorado farm that was traced to a listeria outbreak in cantaloupe last year has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Jensen Farms declined to comment on its filing Friday. Its attorney Jim Markus told The Denver Post Jensen Farms files bankruptcy in wake of cantaloupe deaths9NEWS.comall 186 news articles »

A Third Of Homeless People Are Obese

Photo: David Dennis (CC) How do homeless people have enough food to become obese? It seems something of a paradox, until you look at the processed junk they eat. Via CNN: Obesity is a widespread epidemic, even among the homeless. While the popularized image of a homeless individual is one of skin and bones, a new study shows the reality is not so. One in three (32.3%) homeless individuals in the United States is obese, highlighting a hunger-obesity paradox. The paradox is that hunger and obesity can exist in the same person. And although a person may be overweight or obese, he or she can lack proper nutrition. Nutrition is a daily challenge for homeless people, as the foods they manage to get are often full of preservatives and high in sodium, fats and sugars. They may not have access to healthier options like fresh fruits and vegetables. “It’s the lowest socio-economic group who has the biggest obesity problem,” said Paul Montgomery, one of the authors of the study published in the Journal of Urban Health. “No one looked at the homeless problem before. What we found was this group has a significant obesity problem that wasn’t known.”… [continues at CNN]

Goodbye mozzarella : du « fromage » sans lait pour des pizzas moins chères

La bourse ou le goût. Les amateurs de pizzas surgelées ont parfois un choix cornélien à faire : privilégier la saveur de la mozzarella ou payer moins cher et manger du fromage fabriqué sans une goutte de lait. Depuis 2009, le « lygomme ACH Optimum », composé de trois amidons et de deux gélifiants (le galactomannane et le carraghénane), peuvent remplacer l’intégralité des protéines de lait d’origine animale contenues dans la mozzarella. Cet ingrédient permet ainsi de produire un substitut de fromage sans lait. Surnommé « fromage analogue », il est utilisé par l’industrieArticles en rapportNouvelle folie espagnole : contre la crise, un casino géant !Si la Grèce quittait l’euro, serait-ce vraiment un drachme ?5 millions de morts par an : faut-il interdire le tabac ?

Images Vary of Man Charged in Old Murder of NY Boy

Contrasting images painted of NJ man charged in 1979 murder of New York City boy Etan Patz

Zoetrope cake pays tribute to Tim Burton

Confectioner Alexandre Dubosc made this Tim Burton themed zoetrope cake, which animates to display iconic imagery from many of Burton's best-loved films. There's even a sneaky Jack Skellington up top. The Caketrope -- Making of (Thanks, Kim!)

Confessor in Etan Patz killing has mental health issues - Los Angeles Times

Jeannie Cool discusses the defendant, Pedro Hernandez, in Maple Shade, N.J. He lives next door with his wife and teenage daughter, and reportedly has had mental health issues. (Alex Brandon, Associated Press /) NEW YORK — A man who claims to have abducted and strangled Etan Patz, who vanished 33 years ago Friday, has suffered from bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and hallucinations, his attorney said as the man had his first court appearance since making his surprise confession a day earlier. Pedro Hernandez, 51, did not enter a plea to a second-degree murder charge filed earlier Friday. He also did not speak during a hearing that lasted just a few minutes. As his court-appointed attorney, Harvey Fishbein, outlined what he called Hernandez's "long psychiatric history," Hernandez sat slumped in a chair, clad in an orange jumpsuit, his hands manacled behind his back. Hernandez has been held at New York's Bellevue Hospital because of his apparent mental instability, and he and Fishbein appeared via a video linkup to a Manhattan courtroom shortly after Manhattan Dist. Atty. Cyrus Vance Jr. announced the charges. "This is the beginning of the legal process, not the end," Vance said in a statement that reflected the challenges of prosecuting a case in which there is no body, no physical evidence linking Hernandez to the crime, and a defendant with an apparent history of mental illness. "There is much investigative and other work ahead." Even though Hernandez says he committed the murder, his motive remains unclear. Patz's parents and at least one investigator became convinced years ago that a convicted pedophile serving time on an unrelated charge was the culprit. In 2004, a civil court ruled the man, Jose Ramos, responsible for Etan's death. Ramos denied involvement. Hernandez was not asked to enter a plea, and Judge Matthew Sciarrino Jr. ordered a psychiatric examination for him. Assistant Dist. Atty. Armand Durastanti also said no bail should be considered, and none was requested. "It has been 33 years and justice has not yet been done in this case," Durastanti said, noting the haste with which Etan's life was ended on May 25, 1979, as he made the short walk from his Manhattan apartment to his school bus stop. "This is approximately 110 yards. He has not been seen or heard from since." The hearing coincided withNational Missing Children's Day, which President Reagan proclaimed in 1983 in honor of Etan. He was the first child to have his picture appear on a milk carton, part of the nationwide awareness movement that ensured his face would be familiar to anyone buying milk. His disappearance — on the first day his parents, Stan and Julie Patz, had let him walk to the school bus alone — also is seen as marking the end of an era when it was not unusual for young children to walk to school or go out to play without parents by their sides. For decades, the case haunted the street in the now-trendy SoHo neighborhood where Etan's parents, Stan and Julie Patz, still live. Neither parent has spoken out about Hernandez's sudden confession, which came a month after the FBI and New York police dug up the basement of a nearby building in search of Etan's remains. None was found. But the renewed publicity about the case from that dig apparently nudged someone close to Hernandez to tip police that he might be involved in Etan's disappearance. At the time the boy vanished, Hernandez was an 18-year-old stock clerk at a corner grocery store near the Patz home. He moved to New Jersey shortly after Etan vanished, and he had told some people over the years that he had "done a bad thing and killed a child in New York," New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said in announcing Hernandez's arrest on Thursday. Kelly said Hernandez was brought in for questioning on Wednesday and told police he had lured Etan into the store with promises of a soda, taken him into the basement, strangled him, and put the body into an alley with the trash. The body never was found, and Kelly said he didn't expect to find any physical evidence to corroborate Hernandez's confession. But he said Hernandez was able to provide enough details of the crime to convince police he was telling the truth. Neither the Patz family nor Hernandez's appeared at the Friday court hearing, and Hernandez's wife has not commented on her husband's arrest. According to the Associated Press, the Rev. George Bowen Jr., the pastor at Hernandez's church, said that Hernandez's wife and daughter visited him Thursday after he was in custody. "They were just crying their eyes out," AP quoted Bowen as saying. "They were broken up. They were wrecked. It was horrible. They didn't know what they were going to do."

Paintings Made of Food

Clever advertising campaign for Magimix kitchen appliances features classic paintings recreated out of various fruits and vegetables. Magimix - “Only the exceptional last” by Y&R creative agency from Israel. The Son of Man Picasso Mona Lisa For more food art, check out: National Flags Made Out of Food

A fresh look at healthy eating: Debunking diet myths that carry too much weight

Are you ready for bathing suit season? If you’re like us, you probably answered that question with a snort of derision or perhaps a cry of panic. “People tend to bulk up in the winter and then say, ‘Oh, the bathing suit, I need to do something fast,’¤” registered dietitian Meg Rowe said. But the thing about trying to lose weight is that it takes time and effort. There’s no quick and easy way to do it despite what all the diet books tell you. “Anything that appears to be too good to be true probably is,” said Beth Stark, healthy living coordinator at Weis Markets. With that in mind, we spoke with Rowe, Stark and Sylvia Warner, in-store nutritionist at Giant in Camp Hill, to confront some of the more popular dieting myths, explain why they don’t work and suggest more health-friendly options. Just eat nothing but cabbage and you’ll lose weight! No, sorry, we mean grapefruit! Only eat grapefruit, and you’ll lose weight! While you will cut your calorie intake and lose weight initially, most of that loss will be water and maybe a bit of muscle loss, which you don’t want. You’re not losing any fat. More significantly, sticking to one type of food is unhealthy as it puts yourself at risk for vitamin deficiency. If you just eat cabbage, you’re not getting any of the protein or vitamin B that your body needs. Then there’s the fact that eating the same thing, even if it’s just twice a day, gets real boring, real quick. And once you go off the diet, the weight will come back on. Eat a variety of food groups in moderation. All you have to do is eat fat-free or sugar-free or gluten-free foods and the pounds will just melt away! Ever eaten fat-free or sugar-free products before? Tastes pretty bad, doesn’t it? And in order to get those foods not to taste like cardboard, manufacturers tend to add lots of sweeteners, carbohydrates and preservatives, which isn’t exactly a great trade-off. According to Warner, many gluten-free foods are higher in calories than their normal counterparts. More importantly, “Fat has a purpose,” Warner said. “We have a need for fat,” especially when it’s Omega 3 fatty acids that can help break down bad cholesterol. And fat can help provide a feeling of satiety, so that we don’t get hungry 30 minutes after eating. Avoid processed foods and aim for whole, fresh food instead. Green tea speeds up your metabolism, so if you drink lots and lots of it you’ll lose weight. Yes, green tea can increase your metabolism, but the effect is minimal. You’d have to drink in the ballpark of a gallon of tea a day to lose any serious pounds and that’s not a very healthy thing to do. More to the point, you can drink all the tea you want, but if you don’t change how many calories you consume it’s not going to do you much good. Green tea can be good for you, but drink it in moderation please. One to two cups a day is plenty. Don’t eat anything white! Don’t eat dairy! My god, you’re eating fruit? You might as well start shopping for those extra-extra-large swimsuits now. Unless you have a serious allergy or other legitimate medial reason, leaving out any one of the major food groups is a bad idea. Yes, there is a lot of sugar in fruit, but it’s different than the kind consumed in soda or candy. If you avoid dairy, you won’t get your recommended amount of calcium or vitamin D. And there are lots of healthy, white foods from cauliflower to white peaches that you should be eating. If you’re really worried about your dairy intake, switch to skim or 1 percent milk. Instead of avoiding “white” foods, eat more whole grains. Again, eat a healthy serving of the major food groups in moderation. “Diets simply don’t work,” Rowe said. Yes, you might lose weight, but you’ll gain it back as soon as you go off it, encouraging a viscous cycle. Better to simply cut back on calories and eat healthier year-round. Warner recommends about 30 minutes a day, five days a week of moderate exercise. Even doing simple household chores like mowing the lawn can count. and vegetables. or a bowl of broth-based soup 15 or 20 minutes before a meal. This will fill you up enough so you don’t pig out. People who eat breakfast tend to be thinner and burn calories faster. It slows your metabolism down, and you’ll end up gorging when you do sit down to eat. Sleep-deprived people tend to put on weight. And have healthy snacks at the ready so you don’t run to the vending machine. Don’t wolf down your food. That way, you won’t be as hungry for the grain and protein portions, which is what people tend to overeat. A piece of chocolate at the end of the meal can be a signal to your body that you are done eating for the day. Chewing gum or brushing your teeth can have the same effect. Losing more than two pounds a week is unhealthy.

Etan Patz case: Despite confession, a trial would be tricky (+video)

If Pedro Hernandez sticks to his confession and is found to be mentally competent, a judge will simply sentence him for killing schoolboy Etan Patz in 1979. But if he were to recant, prosecutors would face a hard decision.

POM's misleading new ads and why we need better nutrition labels - Los Angeles Times

Can POM Wonderful really save prostates? Prevent impotence? Protect from heart disease? According to a judge’s ruling on Monday, not so much. "It has long been clear that the most wonderful thing about Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice is the spectacular marketing skill that persuades consumers to fork over their hard-earned cash for a liquid that sells for five to six times the price of, oh, cranberry juice," Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik wroteon Monday after a cease-and-desist order was issued to the makers of POM. The verdict: false and misleading advertising. "The 335-page decision found that Pom's health claims weren't backed by competent and reliable scientific evidence, as they needed to be,” Hiltzik wrote. “As a result, they violated federal law." For the next five years, POM’s advertising and marketing materials, as well as consumer comments and complaints, must be submitted to the Federal Trade Commission for review, according to the New York Times. The order is not as strict as it sounds, though. The company can continue to make general health claims, but it can’t promise to prevent or cure specific diseases. Which explains POM’s latest campaign, which debuted Thursday: out-of-context ads that present bits and pieces of the judge’s ruling. "Health claims are about marketing, not health," writes Marion Nestle, who really rips into POM on her site Food Politics: "The owners must believe that nobody will buy pomegranate juice and supplements for any reason other than health benefits." Of course, POM isn’t the only offender in the world of questionable marketing. We have a marketplace brimming with, as BlissTree's Briana Rognlin puts it, "convoluted health claims and misleading advertising." This is precisely why we need more informative labeling on food, so that consumers can cut through the hype and know what they’re consuming. Yeah, garbanzo beans are a good source of fiber and protein, but does the BPA-lined can it comes in override the health benefits? Consumers deserve to know; they deserve the right to make informed decisions, especially when it comes to their health. The "Just Label It" campaign has the right idea; I just wish it extended beyond genetically modified foods. Another interesting idea is to place simple letter grades on food products the way we do restaurants. Bottom line: We need less Wonderful marketing and more honest labeling. Follow Alexandra Le Tellier on Twitter @alexletellier. Follow Opinion L.A. on Twitter and Facebook.

Registration Open for Summer Nutrition Classes

Project EAT, a program sponsored by the Alameda County Office of Education in partnership with Education and the Environment Initiative, is offering nutrition classes to teachers, parents, community members, and youths. The classes will take place July 23 - 25 and will be held primarily in at the Office of Education building, 313 Winston Ave. in Hayward. Classes are offered to elementary and middle school teachers, as well as parents and community members. According to Catherine Cook, professional development coordinator with Project EAT, the classes will use the USDA's new My Plate guidelines to encourage participants to incorporate healthy foods into their diets and to teach children to do the same. "There is an overall encouragement to add healthy food choices. That change can be slow or dramatic, depending on what works for each person," Cook said. The classes last from one to three days, and some of them take place in local gardens. Participants are taught developmentally appropriate methods of introducing children to nutrition. In addition, the classes for parents and local residents teach participants how to take action and promote children's health within their communities. "We are trying to improve the health and academic performance of all students," Cook said. Project EAT also sponsors a youth empowerment program that teaches students about the inadequate and unequal access to healthy food that exists in many communities, Cook said. The classes are designed to give community members the tools they need to achieve a healthy lifestyle and help their children and students do the same. Project EAT supports school gardens and promotes physical fitness, as well. The registration deadline is July 13. Teacher classes cost $75-$150, and parent classes are free. To register, click here.

Getting a good meal in D.C. requires some ruthless economics

Getting a good meal in DC requires some ruthless economicsWashington PostAn economist can help. The city's dining scene still falls short of the quality of Chicago or San Francisco, much less New York or Los Angeles. Nonetheless, it is possible to eat very well here, provided that one understands where the quality is

Marion Nestle Says Calories Count for Weight Loss, Health (Video)

In this video interview, Dr. Marion Nestle talks about how to keep your weight down, stay healthy, and enjoy your food, sharing insights from her new book, Why Calories Count. I talked with her at the 2012 International Association of Culinary Professionals in New York City. Why Calories Count: From Science to Politics Dr. Nestle's new book is an encouraging and fascinating story about the mighty yet invisible calorie. Written with Dr. Malden Nesheim, this book helps you grasp why calories are confusing (for one, there are many definitions of a calorie), why you need them, and how you use them. With that knowledge under your belt, you then learn what happens if you have too few or too many calories. Particularly helpful is the section on various fad dieting strategies. And particularly encouraging is the flexible, understanding tone throughout the book. Nestle and Nesheim love to eat, and want you to enjoy the pleasures of good food too. My favorite section is the last, which looks at the politics of calories, the influence of the food industry, and changes that make food available nearly everywhere and all the time. Learn the marketing tricks of the alcohol and beef industries and get a glimpse of why food labels are so confusing. Nestle knows what she's talking about. She's a professor in two departments at New York University: Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health (the department she chaired from 1988-2003) and Sociology. Her degrees include a Ph.D. in molecular biology and an MPH. in public health nutrition, both from the University of California, Berkeley. Nestle helps us care about complex and often contradictory information that affects our health in her books and on her blog, Food Politics. Eat better, eat less, and move more The conclusion of Why Calories Count offers refreshingly straightforward advice about how to stay healthy and trim in a society that promotes overeating: eat less, eat better, and move more. How? Pick from many practical tips, including getting organized and eating reasonable portions of real food washed down with a glass of water. If you feel overwhelmed by conflicting diet claims or just want to be a better grocery shopper, Why Calories Count is for you. For more by Linda Watson, click here. For more on diet and nutrition, click here.

Behold the Meatiest Sandwich in Human History [Sandwiches]

Genghis Khan. Alexander the Great. Dagwood. Men of insatiable appetites, all. But none of them came close to creating—much less consuming—a sandwich of this magnitude. Bow, mortal, to the 35 meats, 28 pounds, and countless shuttered arteries that comprise the meatiest sandwich ever. More »

Make Your Own Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping At Home and Dress Up Your Desserts [Food]

Magic Shell ice cream topping, or that chocolate syrup that hardens as soon as it comes in contact with the cold ice cream in a bowl, is tasty, but it's made with a world of stabilizers and other chemicals with long names. Plus, it can get pricey for the amount you get. Surprisingly, it's super easy to make at home, with ingredients that you may already have in your pantry. All you need is chocolate and coconut oil. More »

The Science of Tasty Tomatoes [Science]

A truly tasty tomato is a wonderful thing. But most of the tomatoes you can buy from supermarkets—while red, ripe and perfect-looking—taste of practically nothing. For a long time, scientists thought the difference between a good and bad tomato was down to sugar and acid concentration, but actually there's more at play. More »

Welcome to the Future, Where Our Apples Never Brown [Food]

Okanagan Specialty Fruits, a Canadian biotech company, has brought us the future and it tastes like very fresh apples. Neal Carter, Okanagan's founder and grower, claims two have to varieties of apple—an "arctic granny" and "arctic golds"—that can be cut clean in half and yet have their flesh stay white and fresh for weeks on end. No brown spots. No bruising. Also, Carter claims, they require no chemical treatment before being processed for food and their juice runs clearer (for what that's worth?). They're not magic apples, but they are genetically modified (GM) and have the gene responsible for browning ‘silenced' (meaning their skins remain green or red indefinitely, as does their white flesh). This does also mean that an organic label is clear out of the question for Carter's fruit. So, caveat emptor the Okanagan arctic apple. Carter hopes to be granted approval to begin selling his apples in Canada and the US within the year; with planting and harvesting factored in, we could be buying these apples as soon as 2014. Probably the best part about this biotech is that it would mean fewer damaged apples to toss out during the harvest. Which means more salable fruit and thus more profit. "At the end of the day," says Carter, "It's just a very nice apple that doesn't go brown." [DailyMail - Image via Glovatskiy/Shutterstock]

Jeffrey Neely, who organized lavish GSA conference, leaves agency

Jeffrey E. Neely, the embattled General Services Administration regional commissioner who planned a lavish employee conference in Las Vegas that cost more than $800,000, left the agency Thursday, a GSA spokesman said. Read full article >>

Illuminated manuscript cookies

Anniina ("Scholar, Writer, Mother, Dreamer. Editor of Luminarium, an online library for English Literature of the Middle Ages and Renaissance") produced these delicious-looking and awfully lovely illuminated initial cookies: I wanted to share with you some Medieval manuscript cookies I made for my friend and colleague, Risa Bear, creator of Renascence Editions. I chose historiated initials from several manuscripts, printed them on edible paper with edible ink, attached them to square cookies and gave them gold edges. Who says love of literature and art can't fill a belly?! Medieval Illuminated Initial Cookies (via Making Light)

Social Drawing, an Up-and-Coming Marketing Tool

To promote the new season of "Cake Boss" on TLC, there will be contests to design a cake using Doodle.ly, a social-drawing app.

Calcium Supplements May Increase Heart Attack Risk

STUDY: Calcium Supplements May Increase Risk of Heart Attacks.

The Scientific Search for the Essence of a Tasty Tomato

Image: Torbakhopper/Flickr Scientists are several steps closer to restoring flavor to the supermarket tomato, a once-magnificent fruit turned by commercial pressures into a juicy orb of gustatory cardboard. After 13 consumer tasting panels evaluated samples of 158 heirloom tomato varieties, researchers statistically correlated their responses with molecular analyses of tomato composition. From this emerged a profile of some two dozen chemical compounds that made the fruits taste good. Such a profile has long eluded researchers, for whom the tomato represents a challenge of surprising complexity. 'I always get asked, 'Are we raising a generation of people who don't know how a tomato should taste?''“With something like a banana, you can identify one volatile compound that you smell and say, ‘Aha! It’s a banana!’ With a tomato, it’s not that simple,” said plant molecular biologist Harry Klee of the University of Florida. “You can detect 400 volatile compounds in a tomato. People have speculated that maybe 20 are really important, and they need to be orchestrated properly. It’s a little more complicated than we like.” Klee and colleagues’ latest study, “The Chemical Interactions Underlying Tomato Flavor Preferences,” was published May 24 in Current Biology and represents the latest stage in a decade-long effort to identify the genetic and molecular underpinnings of tomato taste. The project, which has involved psychologists, statisticians, molecular biologists and various food scientists, is described in Barry Estabrook’s 2011 Tomatoland, which also chronicles the fruit’s historical journey from South America to Spain and back to the New World, where it’s recently been transformed into a studio prop of itself: big, red and mostly tasteless. Fueling that devolution was a consumer desire for year-round fresh fruit and the tradeoff of high yields, disease tolerance, aesthetic value and shelf life for flavor, which until recently was a low priority for commercial breeders. Klee hopes to change that. “Growers are not paid for producing a better-tasting tomato. Growers are paid for producing a large quantity of red objects,” Klee said. “I always get asked, ‘Are we raising a generation of people who don’t know how a tomato should taste?’ And I think the answer is largely yes.” After presenting heirloom tomatoes — non-commercial plants, with names like Oaxacan Pink and Crimson Sprinter, Giant Oxheart and Skorspelka Red — and supermarket varieties to tasters, Klee’s group cross-referenced their evaluations with chemical analyses of each tomato. Statistical distillation produced a list of compounds numerically correlated with positive taste. Analyses of tomato varieties (y-axis) according to 70 chemical attributes (x-axis). Image: Tieman et al./Current Biology The researchers then used genetic engineering to design tomatoes in which individual compounds were removed or enhanced, allowing precise tests of how each chemical affected flavor. Similar tests were conducted with heirloom varieties known to be near-identical except for the presence or absence of key compounds. From all this emerged an even clearer picture of tomato chemistry. A class of chemicals called C6 volatiles, which are abundant in tomatoes and thought crucial to their flavor, proved irrelevant to consumer taste. Another 27 compounds were flagged as important, including a little-appreciated trio — arcanely known as geranial, 2-methylbutanal and 3-methyl-1-butanol — that shaped sensations of sweetness. For the moment, these chemical traits can’t be linked to genetics. The tomato genome is understood only at a coarse level of detail, and plants that appear genetically similar can produce fruits with wildly different chemical characteristics. Future research should establish genetic links, said Klee, and allow agricultural companies to breed supermarket-suitable tomatoes that combine commercial viability with greater taste. “We’re working with the big seed companies to get them to understand the genetics and flavor and breed it back in,” said Klee. “Putting the flavor back into something that still retains all that yield, shape and disease resistance is a big task.” In the meantime, Klee is freely sharing the seeds of his group’s own in-house varieties with home garden growers. “We’ve taken some of the heirlooms and crossed them with some of the more modern, highly disease-resistant varieties,” he said. “We’re testing them in the field now. Tomorrow is our first harvest. They taste great.” Image: Torbakhopper/Flickr Citation: “The Chemical Interactions Underlying Tomato Flavor Preferences.” By Denise Tieman, Peter Bliss, Lauren M. McIntyre, Adilia Blandon-Ubeda, Dawn Bies, Asli Z. Odabasi, Gustavo R. Rodrıguez, Esther van der Knaap, Mark G. Taylor, Charles Goulet, Melissa H. Mageroy, Derek J. Snyder, Thomas Colquhoun, Howard Moskowitz, David G. Clark, Charles Sims, Linda Bartoshuk, and Harry J. Klee. Current Biology, Vol. 22 No. 11, 25 May 2012.

Food TV: Top Chef Masters Season 4 Announced, Premieres July 25

Bravo today announced the contestants of season four of Top Chef Masters, premiering July 25th. Celebrity appearances include Sugar Ray Leonard, Indigo Girls, Dita Von Teese, the B-52's, Brian Boitano, and Holly Madison. HostCurtis Stone returns; judges James Oseland and Ruth Reichl are back and are joined by new judges Gilt Taste editor Francis Lam and food and travel journalist Krista Simmons. Season four is set in Las Vegas. The contestants this season competing for the title of "Top Chef Master" and $100,000 for their charity of choice: Chris Cosentino (Incanto Restaurant, SF); Clark Frasier (Arrows, Ogunquit, Maine); Mark Gaier (Arrows, Ogunquit, Maine); Lorena Garcia (Lorena Garcia Cocina Restaurant, Miami); Debbie Gold (Kansas City's The American Restaurant); Kerry Heffernan (South Gate, NYC); Thierry Rautureau (Rover's and Luc, Seattle); Missy Robbins (A Voce Madison & A Voce Columbus, NYC); Art Smith (LYFE Kitchen and Southern Art Restaurants); Sue Torres (Sueños, NYC); Takashi Yagihashi (Takashi Restaurant and Slurping Turtle, Chicago); Patricia Yeo (Om Restaurant & Lounge/ Moksa Pan Asian Izakaya, Cambridge, Mass.). Here's a preview video and the press release: Video: Top Chef Masters Season 4 Preview Season 4 Contestants · Chris Cosentino: Chef/ Partner Incanto Restaurant, San Francisco; Competing for Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research · Clark Frasier: Owner of Arrows, Ogunquit, Maine; Competing for Outright Lewiston/Auburn · Mark Gaier:Owner of Arrows, Ogunquit, Maine; Competing for Equality Maine Foundation · Lorena Garcia: Owner of Lorena Garcia Cocina Restaurant, Miami; Competing for Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Inc · Debbie Gold: Executive Chef of Kansas City’s The American Restaurant; Competing for Children’s TLC · Kerry Heffernan: NYC Chef; Competing for City Harvest · Thierry Rautureau: Chef/owner: Rover’s and Luc, Seattle; Competing for Food Lifeline · Missy Robbins: Executive Chef: A Voce Madison & A Voce Columbus, New York; Competing for Grow to Learn NYC · Art Smith: Executive Chef and co-owner: LYFE Kitchen and Southern Art Restaurants; Competing for Common Threads · Sue Torres: Chef/Owner: Sueños, New York; Competing for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation · Takashi Yagihashi: Owner: Takashi Restaurant and Slurping Turtle, Chicago; Competing for the American Red Cross, benefitting the Japanese Tsunami Disaster Relief · Patricia Yeo: Om Restaurant & Lounge/ Moksa Pan Asian Izakaya, Cambridge, Mass.; Competing for Heifer Project International BRAVO'S "TOP CHEF MASTERS" COOKS UP A NEW SEASON ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 25 AT 10 PM ET/PT BRAVO'S "TOP CHEF MASTERS" COOKS UP A NEW SEASON ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 25 AT 10 PM ET/PT 12 Master Chefs Sizzle In Sin City Along With Celebrity Guest Judges Sugar Ray Leonard, Indigo Girls, Dita Von Teese, The B-52’s, Brian Boitano And Holly Madison NEW YORK – May 24, 2012 – Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters” season four is smokin’ in Las Vegas with 12 new award-winning chefs hungry to compete for the title and win $100,000 for their charity, premiering Wednesday, July 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. In each episode the winners of every quickfire challenge will be awarded $5,000 while the victors of the elimination challenges will receive $10,000 for their designated charities. Celebrity chef Curtis Stone is back as series host alongside returning judges James Oseland and Ruth Reichl with new judges, food and travel journalist Krista Simmons and features editor of Gilt Taste, Francis Lam. In a dazzling season of high stakes, big egos and sizzling drama, top names in entertainment join the judges table including Boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard, folk rock music duo Indigo Girls, famed Burlesque performer Dita Von Teese, popular American party band The B-52’s, Olympic Gold Medalist Brian Boitano, Las Vegas performer Holly Madison, among others. For more information, visit www.BravoTV.com. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BravoPR. “Top Chef Masters” pits 12 world-renowned chefs against each other to see how well they fare in fierce culinary competition. Based at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, each week will whittle down the chefs until the finale where one winner is crowned “Top Chef Master” and receives the grand prize of $100,000 for the charity of their choice. The chefs are bringing more than their knives to the table; they’re bringing their egos and stirring up the drama...all for charity. · All Top Chef Coverage on Eater [-E-] · All Top Chef Masters Coverage on Eater [-E-]

10 Uncommon “Superfoods” from the World of Ultra-Endurance

While doing research for The 4-Hour Body back in 2009, I resorted to Twitter in search of elite athletes who performed well on a vegan diet. I was repeatedly referred to Rich Roll, whom Men’s Fitness Magazine dubbed one of the “25 Fittest Men in the World.” (Sidenote: if you missed the bonus vegetarian/vegan athlete interviews from 4HB, here they are.) Among his accomplishments: - Two top finishes at the double Ironman-distance Ultraman World Championships - Completing 5 Ironman-distance triathlons on 5 separate Hawaiian Islands in less than a week, a feat no one had ever even attempted. Here’s the kicker: he did both in his mid-40′s. But most remarkable of all, just a few short years before exploding onto the scene, Rich was a middle-aged couch potato, depressed and 50 pounds overweight. His 40th birthday present to himself was attempting to reverse course. He overhauled his diet (now 100% plant-based), used The 4-Hour Workweek as a primer to reconfigure his life, and made fitness his Mount Everest. This original content covers the top 10 obscure superfoods Rich used to cultivate this elite performance. Even I hadn’t heard of a few… Enter Rich I abused my body throughout my 20’s and 30’s with a revolving door of junk food, drugs, alcohol and pretty much anything I could find to numb my discontentment. Overhauling my diet played a crucial role in my mid-life transformation. In the most general sense, fruits and vegetables repaired my body wholesale, but there’s more to the story. It’s important to realize that I’m not a professional athlete. Over the last 2 years, I have balanced a life of 20-30-hour training weeks and crazy endurance events with my career as an entertainment lawyer, my family life (married 10 years, father of four), and writing a book. Developing an acuity for sleep deprivation is a big part of my personal success equation. Nonetheless, I can’t recall the last time I got sick, missed a workout, family obligation or professional deadline because I was too tired. And despite my advancing age, I continue to improve as an athlete – getting leaner, stronger, and faster with each successive year. How is this possible? Superfoods. Admittedly, the term is subject to cavalier overuse. And the health benefits are frequently overblown. I get it. But there are “superfoods” you see in tabloid ads, snd then there are superfoods. I am absolutely convinced that my steady intake of many of the below uncommon (and other more mainstream) superfoods has played a major role in helping me break the glass ceiling on my physical potential. We’ve all heard of acai, goji berries and chia seeds. But I’d be willing to bet most of you are unfamiliar with more than a few of these more obscure superfoods: 1. Natto: Heart Health. A popular fermented soybean food prominent in the Japanese diet, natto is a must for anyone concerned about heart or circulatory disease. High in pyrazine and the enzyme nattokinase, blood thinners that can prevent thrombosis (blot clot formations) by essentially devouring arterial plaque, natto significantly reduces the risk of suffering a pulmonary embolism (arterial blockage) that could lead to a heart attack or stroke. Also high in vitamin K, it’s excellent in maintaining bone density. Warning: natto is a very acquired taste. In fact, it’s horrible, unless you’re a fan of strange exotic cheese. Prepare with turmeric and sea salt or alternatively sweeten with erythritol — a very low glycemic non-caloric sugar additive derived from glucose fermentation that retains 60-70% of the sweetness of table sugar. If it’s still unbearable, nattokinase is available in capsule form. I like Doctors Best (1-4 2,000 FU capsules / day). 2. Cordyceps (Sinensis) Extracts: Stamina. Well-known for centuries in Chinese herbal medicine, Cordyceps sinensis is a parasitic dried fungus that grows on caterpillar larvae native to high-altitude regions of China, Nepal and Tibet. Gross, right? But awesome when it comes to health and athletic performance. Pharmacologically anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-lipid (cholesterol lowering), studies indicate enhanced immune system functionality as well as improved stamina in endurance athletes via increased aerobic capacity and oxygen utilization as well as stabilized blood sugar metabolism. Chinese Olympic Track & Field athletes have been swearing by it for decades, and I can attest to their effectiveness. Another plus? Increased sex drive and functionality. The benefits of Cordyceps are enhanced when combined with the adaptogen rhodiola, as they are in Optygen and ShroomTech — both good recommended products. 3. Tumeric: Anti-Oxidant / Anti-Inflammatory. A plant native to South India and Indonesia, if you like curry or mustard, you’re already familiar with this yellow food. What you might not know is that turmeric — due in large part to curcumin, tumeric’s primary active ingredient — is one of the most powerful anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories on the planet. The majority of foods we eat, including low fat diets, promote arterial inflammation, which is a leading (and often underrated) cause of heart disease. In the fitness context, exercise-induced physiological stress causes inflammation, which impedes muscular repair. In a general sense, the more quickly the inflammation subsides, the more quickly one recovers from training. Foods like turmeric reduce inflammation, thus expediting recovery (and circulatory health). Extrapolated over time, an athlete on a nutritional regimen high in anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory foods such as turmeric (buttressed by a predominantly alkaline-forming diet) will in turn be able to train harder, more effectively and more efficiently in a given time period while simultaneously taking out an insurance policy against the primary culprits that foil even the most conscientious athletes — undue fatigue, overtraining and illness. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that there is some evidence to suggest that people who eat diets rich in turmeric have lower rates of breast, prostate, lung, colon and skin cancers. Curcumin can be taken in capsule form, but it is not the most bio-available substance in extract form. Personally, I prefer to drink turmeric in a tea – 1/2 spoonful dissolved in hot water does the trick. 4. Apricot Seeds & Sprouted Mung Beans: Cancer Cell Inhibition. Both of these foods share one thing in common: high levels of laetrile (vitamin B17), which has been found effective in arresting tumor growth. But how does it kill cancer cells without killing healthy cells? Without getting too technical, there is some evidence to support that when laetrile comes into contact with an enzyme called beta-glucosidase (which is only found in cancer cells), the laetrile is broken down, releasing “manufactured” hydrogen cyanide (HCN), which attacks the cancerous cell. Normal cells remain unaffected because of the mitochondrial enzyme rhodanase, which detoxifies the cyanide component. Cancer cells lack this enzyme. I’m not saying laetrile is a magical cure for cancer. But it’s a cheap preventive measure. Organic and raw apricot kernels (the seed inside the pit) are available online (try Nuts.com or iHerb.com). I blend them into my Vitamix morning smoothie. Sprout mung beans overnight (using a simple sprouting vessel) and eat over rice. Alternatively, you can make a broth with turmeric or even brew a coffee-like drink in a French Press with nutritional yeast. 5. Green Coffee Beans: Fat Loss. Similar to green tea and grape seed extract, organic raw (green) coffee beans have powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties effective in combating free radical damage. Benefits in weight management are due to two active compounds, caffeine (lower in green beans) and chlorogenic acid (which is destroyed by roasting) [TIM: Also found in my perennial fave, yerba mate]. The caffeine releases fatty acids into the bloodstream from stored body fat, while the chlorogenic acid increases efficiency of metabolizing these fats while inhibiting sugar (glucose) absorption by the blood stream. Simply grind the green beans and prepare in a French Press like normal coffee. Alternatively, place the ground beans in water in the sun to brew iced coffee. However, don’t expect it to taste like coffee – it doesn’t. Slightly bitter and somewhat flavorless, try adding erythritol to sweeten. Nor will it give you a boost; its caffeine content is significantly lower than roasted beans. There was a rumor that Starbucks was test-marketing some iced green bean elixirs, but I have yet to see it hit stores. Probably didn’t test well. 6. Elk Antler Velvet:Testosterone Booster. Elk antler velvet isn’t just the “fuzz” growing on the animal’s antler, it’s derived from the whole cartilaginous affair, which is removed from the animal (humanely), dried and ground into a powder (predominantly in Canada and New Zealand). Due to growth proteins called Insulin-like Growth Factors (IGF-1 & IGF-2), this “velvet” creates an endogenous increase in testosterone production, increasing in the body’s ability to naturally and rapidly regenerate tissue & bone (antlers are the fastest growing animal tissue known to science – growing upwards of an inch per day). For personal reasons, I eschew animal products from my diet, so I do not myself use elk antler velvet. Nonetheless, and from what I understand, antler removal does not harm the animal, and is in fact a humane and necessary safety precaution that helps prevent the elk from attacking each other. The extraction process is heavily regulated by the Canadian government and the USDA, so make sure your product is government certified (a precaution against bacterial infection incident to chronic wasting disease that occurs in hoofed animals). Currently most of this product is exported to China but is readily available online. Administer in capsule or powder form, 250mg/day post-workout or before sleep. 7. Suma Root & the 4 Ginseng Blend:Adaptogen. Adaptogens are metabolic regulators that increase the body’s ability to – for lack of a better phrase – adapt to environmental stressors, both physical and emotional. Suma is a ginseng-like adaptogen extracted from a root native to Brazil that is linked to improved immune system functionality and hormonal regulation. Combine with (American) ginseng, Ashwaganda (Indian ginseng), and Eleutherococcus (Siberian ginseng) to create a potent combination that promotes longevity and stress management — normalizing and balancing emotional and physical energy levels. Take in capsules (easily sourced online) or brew into a tea. 8. Camu Camu: A sour lemon-sized orange-purple fruit indigenous to Amazonian lowlands, camu camu contains an impressive array of phytochemicals, bioflavonoids, amino acids, vitamins and minerals like beta-carotene and potassium. Most importantly, camu camu boasts the highest natural vitamin C density of any food on the planet — anywhere from 20-50 times the level of vitamin C in a typical orange, and scores extremely high on the “ORAC” (“oxygen radical absorbance capacity”) scale, a method of quantifying the anti-oxidant capacities of biological samples. Camu camu also reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol and facilitates the uptake of serotonin. In other words, it will make you happy. Available in supplement form, I like Navitas Naturals Organic Camu Powder. Add a teaspoon to juice or smoothie (taste is tart, a bit like orange juice itself). 9. Moringa (Olefiera): Dubbed the “miracle tree” and the “world’s most nutritious plant species ever studied,” this amazing tree is native to regions of Africa/Asia but can grow almost anywhere due to its incredible ability to extract nutrients from the soil and air. Its leaves are an all-around green superfood; with more than 90 nutrients, moringa is like a utility baseball player that can excel in every position. High in a wide array of vitamins and minerals it’s anti-oxidant rich (46 anti-oxidants), anti-diabetes (reduces blood glucose) and promotes heart health (lipid lowering) among other benefits. Available in capsule and powder form, brew the powder into a tea or add to juice or your morning smoothie. 10. Pu-erh Tea: This tea can be perhaps the most expensive in the world, with some cakes priced at $350K (for a 250g cake), its leaves derived from trees upwards of 1,700 years old. A post-fermented tea product produced in the Yunnan province of China and carefully aged, the harvesting, creation and ceremony of Pu-erh is an art steeped in preserved tradition dating back millennia. But what makes Pu-erh truly unique is the process by which the leaves are fermented by microbes after drying and then aged. It is believed that the microbial activity in the tea provides probiotic health benefits unique Pu-erh, such as reducing arterial plaque and LDL cholesterol levels as well as aiding in weight loss by reducing blood sugar levels and improving the body’s ability to metabolize fat. Dramatically less costly versions of Pu-erh are available [TIM: I drink this version almost every morning]; versions I have used provide a long-lasting even-keeled energy. To learn more, I suggest you consult your local teahouse. There is nothing like a traditional Pu-erh tea ceremony administered by a tea master. It’s an extraordinary experience. If you happen to be in Los Angeles, Colin Hudon at Temple Tea in Venice is excellent. To Test or Not to Test? All well and good, I hear you saying. But where’s the proof? Herein lie the rub. To be sure, studies of varying legitimacy exist to substantiate the above. But large-scale, peer-reviewed research requires substantial funding. This funding is often provided by for-profit corporations that have little interest in validating natural products that cannot be protected via patents. That said, I’m not asking you to take my word for it. Do your own research (Ray Sahelian, M.D.’s website is a good place to start). Experiment on yourself. Start conservatively, document your findings, and tweak your way to success. Perhaps you won’t recognize yourself in the mirror a year from now. Best of luck, Rich ### Tim: Any questions? Please ask them in the comments and Rich will jump in there with you. Rich’s amazing story and techniques are covered in-depth in Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World’s Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself, which just came out this week.

Platter: novel photo-sharing social network for keen cooks

How do you launch a social networking site in this day and age, long after the likes of Facebook and Twitter seized the world? One answer is "micro-social networks": designed with a clear and specific purpose in mind, they can fulfill that purpose better than any of the generalists like Facebook. Platter is a new micro-social network app dedicated home cooking. It allows you to take pictures of food you make and upload them to show the world, tagging them with the you used ingredients. You can then search through those ingredient tags, finding inspiration for something to make with the ingredients you have to hand. As you'd expect, you can also do the usual social networking things, like follow people whose food you find interesting, and post comments and "likes" on pictures. "Why do I need this?" you might ask. "I have Instagram and Twitter, Facebook and Foodspotting. Why do I need another app?" Well, the Platter team cleverly identified that in fact none of these apps are exactly what you need if you're a home cook looking to show off. Instagram has plenty of food pics, but lacks the ingredient tagging feature. Twitter and Facebook are more general purpose. Foodspotting is designed around the idea of taking pictures of food when eating out, not for home cooking. Platter is complementary to these services. To underscore this, it has (as you'd probably expect) the ability to cross-post pictures to Facebook and Twitter. These cross-posts are in the form of links to Platter's attractive web interface (self-promotion alert: that's my own Platter page), from where you can drill down into individual pictures. This web view feature is already fuller-featured than Instagram's pared-down approach, as you can navigate from users to pictures and back again, and the Platter team are planning on expanding this further in the future. Gallery: Platter, the social network for keen cooks Technically, Platter works pretty well. It's been developed by a small team of five people (for both iOS and Android versions) alongside their day jobs, and early on there were some rough edges that betrayed the app's homespun origins -- the occasional layout glitch or failed post. Subsequent patches have mostly fixed the problems. There's still the odd interface quirk -- I didn't find it particularly easy to navigate through the app at first, and sometimes tap targets seem to be frustratingly unresponsive -- but nothing too annoying. I couldn't test the Android version, but I must at least note that it has one -- so your Android-toting friends aren't left out in the cold. There are some usability decisions that are quite refreshing, too. There's no fancy/hackneyed (delete according to your biases) photo filters, for one thing; if you're suffering from Instagram Fatigue you may find this a relief. The app also doesn't enforce a trendy square crop on photos; when users view your images, they'll see the aspect ratio you took them in, giving you the flexibility to compose shots as you see fit. However, note that the layouts in-app often use square thumbnails, which can result in some weird cropping. Of course, the app can import pictures from the Camera Roll as well as take them live, so if you'd prefer you can use any app already on your camera to shoot, crop, and post-process images. Image compositing app Diptic seems to be a particularly popular choice. Platter's approach to tagging us also interesting. Unlike Twitter or Instagram's free-form approach, the ingredient tags are set by the system, and you can't add to them yourself; this promotes a clean hierarchy of tags that isn't littered with duplicates or misspellings. However, so far, the tag names are resolutely Brit speak rather than American orientated; so it's "coriander" and not "cilantro", "aubergine" rather than "eggplant", "courgette" over "zucchini". My Colonial cousins may find this jarring. (Note that the Platter team told me a fix for this is on the way -- see below.) As for the actual content, the food, I've definitely found Platter to be inspirational. Not only on a "what can I make with this level" but also simply from a presentation point of view. And it's particularly good to know, when looking through pictures, that these are all shot at home in an amateur's kitchen. Looking at professional dishes on Foodspotting inspires me to eat; looking at amateur dishes in Platter inspires me to cook. Platter is also building a fun community. The developers of the app are all very active on the network, commenting on dishes and running competitions. There's a sub-type of user who delights in naming their dishes with the most groan-inducing puns you can imagine, such as my personal best, "steaks on a p(l)an(e)". Chatting with Platter I spoke with Will Hodson, director of Platter, about the future plans for the app. How did the idea for Platter come about? "Platter occurred to me as I developed another project with Channel 4's 4iP scheme. They were looking for ideas that could drill down into people's food habits; I thought of something like food Twitter but didn't want to share it with a media giant!" What sort of team put Platter together? Is this a full time thing, a sideline gig, or what? How many of you are there, what are your backgrounds, and how long did it take? "Platter was co-founded by me and four developers. Most of us are fairly recent Cambridge graduates, working in software and programming. I met these guys as a client for another job, was struck by their competence, and we all got on." How do you feel the launch has gone? Are you finding a good audience? "Our press coverage is a testament to the appeal of the concept. We've been featured or recommended in all UK broadsheets as well as Evening Standard and Stylist. ABC News in the US recently named us as the number two app for food photos in the world (just behind Instagram). "Launch has gone well. I wanted to give this a serious food-loving hardcore and we have it. Our featured cooks read like a who's who of British food blogging: we have two of MSN's Most Influential Foodies on board, a Masterchef Finalist and most of London's top bloggers." Some of the food bloggers Will mentioned include Food Urchin, Gin and Crumpets, Meemalee and Leluu. I forgive him for not mentioning my own sparsely-updated food blog, Objection: Salad!, which has won precisely zero awards from MSN's Most Influential Foodies. It must have slipped his mind. What are your immediate plans for the app? New features? US localisation? Bugfixes? "We are in discussions with investors now. There are big plans afoot. First, expanding tags to cover dishes' influences as well as their ingredients. So if my dish inspires you to try something similar, you can tag my influence in your photo. This is almost a new currency of approval in social media. It also means communities can form around cookbooks and suppliers, taking Platter way beyond Instagram into food-specific functionality. Second, we'll open up our website for logged-in use. It will also enable curation of one's favourite dishes. And third, we'll look to put down some roots in the States. "Finally, we are looking into Instagram integration, via a similar solution to that used by Foodspotting -- users post pictures to their Instragram feed with a special hashtag, and we pick that up and re-post the picture to Platter." You lead on both iOS and Android at once. That's somewhat unusual. Was that tricky to manage? Did it definitely bring in more users than if you'd led with one platform at a time? "Android was fine to develop for because our Android guy has been fantastic. Marketing it has been a nightmare however. If you type in Platter on Google Play, it assumes you mean 'Plate'. So it's tricky to find our app. You'd expect better from Google. We're still committed to the Android App but most users are on iPhone." Anything else you'd like to say to our readers? "We've got this far with no budget and limited time, yet we've still established Platter as a great place for food photos. As we push out to embrace more home cooks making fantastic dishes around the world, Platter will become the place you go to decide what to eat." I can't say any more than that, really. One of the privileges of writing for TUAW is being able to help smaller apps find a wider audience. I've really enjoyed Platter in the six or so weeks I've been using it, and I wish it every success for the future. You can download Platter for iPhone for free from the App Store.Platter: novel photo-sharing social network for keen cooks originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 24 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

How To Find a Food Co-Op In Your Area and Score Some High-Quality, Super-Cheap Eats [Food]

Want all of the benefits of organic, local produce, meat, and dairy with the convenience of a grocery store? A food co-op might be what you're looking for. They're pretty easy to find and in many cases, you can walk out with bags full of groceries for a fraction of what you'd pay at a traditional supermarket. Here's how to find and get involved with one near you. A Food Co-Op? What's That? If you're not familiar with the concept, food co-ops operate like grocery stores, but are owned by members of the cooperative—in other words, they're owned and managed by the people who shop and work there. Because of this they have greater flexibility in the products they carry and how much they sell those products for. Most co-ops specialize in natural, organic, and locally grown foods, and develop relationships with nearby farms to supply their dairy, meat, and produce. Photo by glenngould. Even better, because members pay in to the cooperative to keep it alive, those products are often sold at a discount. Co-ops are also known for offering cooking classes, gardening lessons, monthly grocery baskets, and other community perks to their members. Some co-ops require you to become a contributing member before you can shop there, but if you shop frequently, you'll get it back quickly in bargains on the stuff you take home. How Can I Find One Near Me? The Coop Directory Service has a comprehensive list of co-ops and buying clubs across the US and Canada. LocalHarvest, who you might remember from our article on Community Supported Agriculture, also has a directory of food co-ops around the US. If you're still having trouble finding one, Cooperative Grocer's directory may be able to help as well. You'll have better luck finding a co-op near you if you live in a city or suburb, but the demand for high quality, local food is high enough that more open in rural areas every year. In some cases, the closest co-op near you may focus on a specific type of food, like gourmet cheeses dairy or all-organic produce. Don't be afraid to shop around or keep looking until you find one that's more grocery store than niche market. What's The Catch? As we mentioned, many co-ops expect their shoppers to support the cooperative by becoming members. That means yearly dues, and like the big-box buying clubs, you can come in and look around for free, but you won't be able to check out without proof of membership. You can sign up on the spot of course, but make sure you check out the membership fees before you sign on the dotted line. Photo by Jason Riedy. On the bright side, many cooperatives let you pay in volunteer hours instead of dollars, so if you have a few spare hours on the weekend and want to get out of the house, you can lend a hand stocking shelves, or indulge your secret passion for box-stacking. If you're interested in learning a new skill, you might even be able to work with the local butcher or nearby farmer to pick up what they know while you work. You never know, it could be a rewarding experience. Personally, I'm a huge fan of food co-ops. They stand apart from farmer's markets mostly because they operate more like traditional grocery stores, have longer hours, and while you may not buy directly from the grower, you do get to support a different kind of grocery store. They won't replace your farmer's market, or even your traditional supermarket shopping, but they're a thrifty and personally rewarding supplement to them. What do you think? Are you a member of a co-op in your area? Let us know what you think in the comments below. Photo by DrStarbuck.

Sugar Shout Out: Who Will Land the Role of Christian Grey?

22 actors who could play Christian in Fifty Shades of Grey Try Michelle Obama's cauliflower mac and cheese recipe Learn how to paint sun-kissed balayage highlights at home Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer share their dating advice Space-saving decor tips for kids' rooms from a design expert Ultimate Summer denim guide - see the best fits, silhouettes, and prints The boho dance: beautifully Bohemian wedding decor Bang for your buck: 7 creative $3 Starbucks concoctions Bob Harper on how to get The Biggest Loser results at home: pick a workout you enjoy! Turtles are tortoise-ly awesome! Geeking out: see the best Draw Something sketches Get Memorial Day outfit inspiration from your favorite stars Video: Cannes review of On the Road - plus Kristen talks topless scene! See 100 hot celebrity Summer vacation pictures

Nuclear sub catches fire in Maine Naval shipyard

BOSTON (Reuters) - Fire broke out on Wednesday evening on a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine docked at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine, injuring four firefighters, officials said.

TLC's Summer Slate Highlights Offbeat and Eye-Opening Programming (Exclusive Video)

Jethro Nededog THR has the first look at the cable channel's new sizzle reel featuring its debuting and returning series starting this week.read more

Cakepops that look like gross boiled chicken feet

Miss Cakehead sends us these "Incredible and gross chicken feet cake pops created for the Evil Cake Shop by Miss Insomnia Tulip." The feet are made from vanilla & raspberry cake, triple dipped in white chocolate with the pop hand painted to resemble a boiled chicken foot; the chicken dipping sauce pop (top) covered with coloured piping gel; the battered chicken foot pop is covered with the dipping sauce and crushed citrus sprinkles to resemble batter. Ruddy amazing Yorkshire based baking talent and a really innovative cake pop design to boot. Boiled Chicken Feet – Extreme Cake Pops (Thanks, Miss Cakehead)

Food for Change: 5 Food Groups Doing Great Work

Editor's note: In "Food for Change," we'll profile groups out there connecting people to better food access. In this series we want to applaud the passionate people and organizations doing meaningful work with food in their communities. Please share tips for others to include in this column in the comments below. ioby is a new donation platform for community environmental projects that need seed funding. Similar to Kickstarter, the site lets you choose a worthy project—in your neighborhood, or anywhere in the country—and donate money to their cause. You can also donate to the organization as a whole. Causes include community gardens, beautification projects, urban farms, recycling campaigns, and more. Want to address world hunger and eat delicious granola, at the same time? Impact Foods will donate a hunger pack through their partner, Edesia Global Nutrition Solutions, for every bag of granola purchased. The company aspires to blend philanthropy with food service, and their granola is made of 100% natural ingredients. The National Gardening Association's Adopt a School Garden program allows donors to directly support the growth and development of a school garden. Gardens can be incorporated into curriculum so students can learn necessary academic skills in an alternative, beautiful setting. They also provide a natural opportunity for teaching young children how to grow their own veggies. Cookies for Kids' Cancer organizes bake sales across the country to raise money for pediatric cancer research. The group provides plenty of resources and tips for getting started with your own bake sale, and also sells pre-made cookies through their online store. Donations to this 501c(3) are tax-deductible, and the group has already raised thousands for their cause. The Full Belly Project funds simple agricultural machines that help small farmers around the world increase their productivity and thus their income. Smallholders are among the poorest and hungriest people in the world, and even a simple peanut sheller or solar-powered water pump can make the difference between a healthy diet and hunger for those families.About the Author: A student in Providence, Rhode Island, Leah Douglas loves learning about, talking about, reading about, and consuming food. Her work has also been featured in Rhode Island Monthly Magazine.

This Interactive Burger Joint May Be The Future Of Fast Food

One of the restaurants that's finally taking advantage of today's high tech advances is 4food – a trendy, futuristic burger joint located in the heart of midtown Manhattan. The restaurant has an interactive build-your-own-burger ordering system, and customers can trademark their creations and even get royalties if someone else orders their burger. The chefs at 4food use a modified Japanese donut machine to make their patties, and track the inventory of fresh ingredients so that if they run out of an item, it's automatically reflected on the interactive menu online and in the restaurant. Also, servers come out and take customer orders on iPads when it gets too crowded. Find out how the masterminds behind 4food use technology online and offline to scale its business below: <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="ooyalaPlayer_67o4k_h2ko8r0j" width="618" height="347" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab"><param name="movie" value="http://player.ooyala.com/player.swf?embedCode=ZkeXlyNDpZC1CBZ4ey6YBKAzcAc_2OJ6&version=2" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="embedType=noscriptObjectTag&embedCode=ZkeXlyNDpZC1CBZ4ey6YBKAzcAc_2OJ6&videoPcode=BhdmY6l9g002rBhQ6aEBZiheacDu" /><embed src="http://player.ooyala.com/player.swf?embedCode=ZkeXlyNDpZC1CBZ4ey6YBKAzcAc_2OJ6&version=2" bgcolor="#000000" width="618" height="347" name="ooyalaPlayer_67o4k_h2ko8r0j" align="middle" play="true" loop="false" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashvars="&embedCode=ZkeXlyNDpZC1CBZ4ey6YBKAzcAc_2OJ6&videoPcode=BhdmY6l9g002rBhQ6aEBZiheacDu" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object> Produced By: Kamelia Angelova & William Wei And Don't Miss • How Hudson Whiskey Started And Got To The Top Shelf • A New York Cheese Shop Is Making 2,600 Pounds Of Fresh Cheese Every Day—And It Wants You To Watch • See Why These Chocolate Bars From Brooklyn Cost $12 Each Please follow War Room on Twitter and Facebook.Join the conversation about this story »

Helicopter Drops 955 Hot Dogs Over Detroit [Wtf]

Is Detroit a humanitarian zone? No. But a helicopter just dropped 955 hot dogs over the beleaguered metropolis to commemorate the American Coney Island restaurant's 95th anniversary. Things are looking up, Motor City! More »

No More Stuck Ketchup

Browsing: Shopping Snapshots: May 24

Chic summer sandals; regal headpieces; and hand-braided bracelets.

The Huge Difference Between Food in the 1950's and Today [Food]

What's the biggest difference between food back in the 1950's and today? Portion size. According to the CDC, meals are four times bigger now compared to what they once were and as a result, people are 26 pounds heavier. Yeesh! No wonder we're all so fat. More »